


Next To Me

by imaginedragonsfly



Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Cara Dune x Din Djarin, F/M, Idiots in Love, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:00:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25755478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginedragonsfly/pseuds/imaginedragonsfly
Summary: Din and Cara learning to accept who they are and what led them to each other.
Relationships: Baby Yoda & The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV), Cara Dune & The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV), Cara Dune/The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV), Caradin
Comments: 16
Kudos: 48





	Next To Me

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Imagine Dragons song Next To Me. Another short drabble about our space duo.

Something about the way that you walked into my living room

Casually and confident, lookin’ at the mess I am

But still you, still you want me

And oh, stupid things I do

I’m far from good, it’s true

But still I find you

Next to me - Imagine Dragons

Cara

Mud and blood mixing at her feet, acrid smoke burning her lungs. Screams of fear and battle cries surround her. Until a deafening blast shakes her. Cara wakes up gasping for air, sweat blossoming at her temples. Sitting up, slowly breathing in a lungful of air and looked around. The room is dark but the edges and shadows are familiar… comforting even. _She needs a drink._

Din is hunched over the small sink in the kitchen area. Splashing his face with cold water. He hears a movement. He wets his face and runs his hand behind his neck. Swipes his hands down his face in an attempt to dry it. He breaks his silence. “There’s a glass of water on the table.”

Without a word Cara gulp down the cold drink and poured herself another glass. The area is illuminated by a dim strip of light by the Crest door. Light is a generous way to describe it because shadow and silhouette are all she sees. She settles on the bench and rest her head on the cold steel wall. She feels Din sit next to her.

“So what is it this time?” His unmodulated voice feels strange and comforting at the same time. “Does it ever change?” She ask.

He lets out a long sigh. “No it doesn’t. It's all a blur of the same thing.”

He reaches between them. His hand sliding into hers, fingers intertwine. Like gears in a machine that clicks and fits, surrounding each other to work. Cara savors the connection. Welcomes the warmth enclosing her hand, chasing away the chills she feels all over.

Din

A blinding blast shakes the ground. Strong hands enclosing him, carrying him to safety. He can feel the strong heartbeat and hear panting breaths as they run. Another comforting hand placed on his back soothing him, long hair flying in front of his face. Smoke gagging him until a red cloth covered his nose. He smells... home… faintly. Then there’s a flurry of movements, untangling him from the warm embrace. He sees their face, smiling gently and mouthing words he could not hear. Another blast erupt but this time everything goes dark. Like a drowning man he was fighting for air. He abruptly sits up, trying to slow down his labored breathing. Tasting salty beads of sweat on the top of his lips. His shirt drenched. In a swift motion he took it off and dried his face.

He slowly staggered out. He reached for a cold pitcher of water in the ice box. After quenching his thirst he walks to the sink, letting the cold water run through his hands. Splashing a handful on his face, relishing the cold droplets running from his face to his neck. Repeating the same motions he hears footsteps in the dark. _She’s up too… again. This is becoming a habit, he muses._

“There’s a glass of water on the table.” He says.

He sits by her. His back on the cold steel wall, a stark contrast to the warmth next to him. “So what is it this time?” Din breaking the silence.

“Does it ever change?” She answers.

He takes a long breath. “No it doesn’t. It's all a blur of the same thing.”

Without a thought he reaches for her hand. His fingers finding hers. Like a favorite weapon that is worn in all places but fits in his hands so perfectly. Warmth enfolds him.

* * *

The sun is high in the sky. The Crest the buzzing with activity. Getting ready for another hunt and trying to wrangle a green toddler is chaos. The breakfast table is littered with cereals and leftover milk spilled from a toppled cup. Din hunched under the table trying to coax a giggling, butt naked toddler out. Cara leaning by the sink looking over her caf, watching everything unfold. With a smirk on her face she ask. “Do you need help Din?”

With a huff, he abandons the table. Reached behind Cara and rummaged through the shelf. He was standing breaths away from her, challenging her to say anything. While Cara calmly sips her beverage, appraising him. Finally finding what he was looking for, he defiantly unwraps a colorful candy on a stick in front of her.

Cara snorts her drink all over him. Caf dripping on his chest plate he triumphantly goes back to the table. Starting the negotiations once again. While trying to compose herself, Cara only has to hear a sharp squee to know that the hurdle is won. 

With the baby dressed, tucked in his pod and Din finished wiping his armor dry. Their ritual begins.

Cara runs her hands on every surface of beskar he's wearing. Checking the spaces in between. Reinforcing the straps that held it together. Counting the rounds he held in his belt. Her being this close to him makes his breath hitch. He could smell the sweet scent from her hair and the leather from her gloves. He closes his eyes and commit to memory, all that is Cara.

Being a bounty hunter his life is always a risk. He never gave it a second thought because this is who he is. The difference now is the gratitude he feels for all his mistakes because it took him to this moment. He would take all the risk in the world if it led him to her. Cara this close, in front of him.

After inspecting his weapons, Cara pats his pauldron and exclaims, "You're good".

Din circling her, should feel like a threat but it's a practice she looks forward to. Taking him all in, while he examines her armor. He reverently checks every dent and scratch. Making sure everything is secure. Tallies the weapons on her. Watching him, she silently recites something akin to a prayer. Cara tells herself that if this is the end at least she has this. This moment, having him this close is… enough. It is enough for now. All her faults and the anguish she had to go through led her to this. A smile ghosting her lips betrays her thoughts that maybe this is the world paying her back. All that was taken from her will never be replaced but Din is the balm that soothes her. Maybe being Cara Dune isn't all that bad.

“You ready?” The question snaps Cara out of her thoughts. “Yeah, good to go.” She answers.

Din opens the ramp. The pod following him and Cara by his side. What an unusual sight they must make. They can be misconstrued as a family or maybe bounty hunters with a bounty. One things for sure, whatever label they become doesn't matter as long as they stay together. They can take whatever comes, as long as they are next to each other. 


End file.
